Sampling device for car dumper



y 6, 1953 c. R. HYMES 2,833,150

SAMPLING DEVICE FOR CAR DUMPER Filed April 5, 1955 /a /0 M F /9 /a 4 HM m f 1 M 25 a [a i"* /j ra luw' l i I L' IIII'IIIIIIIIIII [mem- 0/42455 P. HVMEi oombw/ow United States Patent SAMPLING DEVICE FOR CAR DUMPER Charles R. Hymes, American Fork, Utah, assignor to ynited States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New ersey Application April 5, 1955, Serial No. 499,363

2 Claims. (Cl. 73--421) This invention relates to an improved device for collecting rough samples of bulk materials, such as coal.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved sampling device which can be installed on a rotary car dumper for automatically collecting samples from each car handled by the dumper.

A further object is to provide an improved sampling device which automatically collects samples from each car handled by a rotary dumper without interfering with the actual dumping operation or making it necessary to suspend dumping while taking the sample.

A more specific object is to provide a sampling device which includes a sample box and chute attached to a rotary car dumper to receive some of the contents from each car, a splitter arrangement for reducing the sample thus received, and a container for collecting the remainder.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, a preferred form of which is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevational view partly in section of a rotary car dumper equipped with a sampling device constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view partly in section and on a larger scale showing the sampling device;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the sampling device; and

Figure 4 is a cross section on line IVIV of Figure 3.

Figure 1 shows somewhat diagrammatically a conventional rotary car dumper which incldes a frame 10, a plurality of rollers 12 rotatably supporting said frame, and a drive mechanism not shown for rotating the frame. The dumper is situated above a hopper 13. In operation, the frame is adapted to receive and clamp an open car 14 of bulk material, such as coal, and to rotate counterclockwise to invert the car and dump its contents into the hopper 13.

In accordance with my invention, one or more sample boxes 15 are fixed to the upper edge of a vertical side wall 10a of the frame 10 on the side toward which the latter rotates in dumping. As best shown in Figure 2, the wall 10a contains an opening 16 adjacent the bottom of each box. The top and sides of the box are closed, but the bottom is open. Consequently when the frame rotates to dump a car, some of the material drops through the opening 16 into the box. Such material remains in the box until the frame returns after dumping the car, whereupon it drops through the open bottom of the box. Preferably several boxes of this construction are spaced along the length of the frame.

A downwardly sloping chute 17 of semicircular cross section is fixed to the side of the frame 10 beneath the open bottom of each box 15. Along its length the chute has a number of splitter baffles 18 (Figure 3). At its lower end the chute carries a cylindrical container 19. Conveniently the chute 17 and container 19 can be fabricated from an integral length of pipe appropriately cut away. A closure 20 is hinged to the bottom edge of the container 19 on the side adjacent the frame 10. A lever 21 extends from the closure 20 at its hinged connection and carries a counterweight 22. When the frame is upright as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the counterweight holds the closure 20 in a closed position against the weight of the contents of the container 19, but when the frame is inverted, the counterweight allows the closure to open. The outer edge of the closure carries a handle 23 for opening it manually.

The chute 17 receives material which drops through the open bottom of the sample box 15 as the frame 10 returns to its upright position after dumping a car. The baflies 18 reject a substantial portion of this material, which drops therefrom into the hopper 13. The material which remains in the chute collects in the container 19, where it is retained by the closure 20. Such material is removed for further processing by engaging the handle 23 with a suitable tool to open this closure. In the event it is not desired to collect a sample from a particular car, the closure 20 opens as the next car is dumped, whereupon the material in the container 19 drops into the hopper 13.

From the foregoing description it is seen that my sampling device is fully automatic and collects samples or not as desired without interfering with a dumping operation. It is unnecessary for workmen to climb into the car to collect samples, thus avoiding a safety hazard. Although car samples of this type are recognized as rough, samples of coal collected with my device have proved to be at least as accurate as those collected directly by top sampling the car. Average analyses of samples collected over a period of a month or longer with my device, present a reasonably accurate picture.

While I have shown and described only a single embodiment of my invention, it is apparent that modifications may arise. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination, with a rotary car dumper having a rotatably supported frame adapted to hold and invert a car for dumping its contents, of a sampling device comprising a box fixed to the side of said frame toward which it rotates in dumping and adapted to receive a portion of the contents of the car, a chute fixed to said frame below said box, said box having an open bottom communicating with said chute to discharge material thereto, splitter means in said chute for rejecting a portion of the material received therein from said box, and a container at the lower end of said chute into which the remainder of the material in the chute drops, said container having a hinged closure counterweighted to close when said frame is upright and to open when said frame rotates to dump a car.

2. The combination, with a rotary car dumper having a rotatably supported frame adapted to hold and invert a car for dumping its contents, of a sampling device comprising a box fixed to the side of said frame toward which it rotates in dumping and adapted to receive a portion of the contents of the car, a sloping chute fixed to said frame below said box and being open at its outer face, said box having an open bottom communicating with said chute to discharge material thereto, splitter bafiles in said chute extending inwardly and upwardly from at least one side edge thereof for rejecting a portion of the material received therein from said box, a container fixed to the lower end of said chute and adapted to receive therefrom the sample of material which remains after passing said baflles, a closure hinged to the bottom of said container along the edge adjacent said Patented May 6, 1958- 3 l 4 frame, a lever extending from said closure at its hinged References Cited in the file of this patent connection andla counterweight carried by said lever UNITED STATES PATENTS to close said closure when said frame 18 upright to retaln a sampleand to open said closure when said frame ro- 359,158 Jones 3, 1837 tates to an inverted position to discard an unwanted 5 9,491 Ramsay Dec. 11, 1917 sample. 7 2,533,090 Bur Dec. 5, 1950 

